HSE have published their latest bulletins:
Biocides
- New GB guidance has been published
Detailed guidance on how to address toxicology data requirements for biocidal products without in vivo vertebrate testing
To reduce in vivo testing on vertebrate animals, the GB BPR requires that such tests should only be conducted as a last resort and that testing on vertebrates shall not be repeated for the purposes of GB BPR.
HSE has developed detailed guidance on how to meet the toxicology data requirements for the authorisation of biocidal products in line with the provisions of Article 62 of GB BPR on minimising vertebrate testing when unnecessary.
The guidance should be used for applications with immediate effect.
View the new guidance on our website.
HSE e-bulletin
- Important information about the generation of Active Bromine in Great Britain (GB)
The following combination of precursors to generate Active Bromine for use as a biocide will be phased off the market in GB
Industry has had the opportunity to support biocidal active substances – including those generated in-situ – for a safety and efficacy review for the relevant product types. The GB BPR groups biocidal products into 22 product types dependent on their use.
For a number of combinations of precursors used to generate Active Bromine, industry decided to withdraw their support for the necessary reviews.
An opportunity was provided for any person, company or task force/consortium to take over support for the biocidal active substance/product type combinations in the GB BPR Review Programme. However, HSE did not receive any compliant notifications from industry to continue their support for:
- Active bromine generated from bromine chloride in product type 11
- Active bromine generated from hypobromous acid and urea and bromourea in product types 11 and 12
- Active bromine generated from sodium bromide and calcium hypochlorite in product type 2
- Active bromine generated from sodium bromide and chlorine in product type 2
- Active bromine generated from sodium bromide and sodium hypochlorite in product type 2
- Active bromine generated from sodium bromide by electrolysis in product type 2
- Active bromine generated from sodium hypobromite and N-bromosulfamate and sulfamic acid in product type 11
In cases where active substance/product type combinations are not supported, GB BPR requires that these active substance/product type combinations are subject to a GB non-approval decision.
When an active substance receives a non-approval decision, biocidal products containing these active substances in the relevant product types will have to be removed from the GB market, and biocidal use of the in-situ generated active substance will have to end. HSE will provide separate updates on the decision and relevant phase-out periods.
After the relevant phase out period these biocidal products will not be able to be supplied or used in GB.
Important: If you are aware of any disproportionate negative effects that are likely to arise as a result of the Active Bromine generation methods and uses listed above being removed from the GB market, please contact us by 8 March 2024.
There are other precursor combinations that can still be used to generate Active Bromine. For more information please see our BPR list of active substances.
For updates regarding the status of an active substance under GB BPR please visit our Biocides website or sign up to our Biocides ebulletin.
- Active bromine generated from bromine chloride in product type 11
HSE waste and recycling ebulletin
- New WISH guidance on handing of BioaerosolsWISH have released guidance on the control of bioaerosols, complex mixture of bacteria, fungal spores, and other fragments of biological origin that are suspended in air.
There is potential for bioaerosols to be generated during handling and processing of organic materials in many waste and recycling activities. The guidance can be found in the Bioaerosols in Waste and Recycling (.pdf)
